Page 25 of Captured By the Highland Devil
A woman dressed in healer garb with a basket of herbs perched on her hip lingered there as well before moving on.
“Me lady,” a passing servant lad bowed and hurried by.
As if pulled by a lodestone, Paige stepped closer and closer to the training ground. Ruben was about twenty feet from her, but she was far away from any sword flying out of bounds.
She watched Ruben so intensely that she was having a hard time concentrating on anything other than his body. All his muscles clenched and bunched while he fought against each of his men.
The two clashed and Ruben flung his sword up to block the blow his opponent delivered. The man’s sword sliced down in a high arc and came down over Ruben’s head in a killing strike. Ruben shifted to the right—and her hand flew to her breast as panic tightened her throat.
CHAPTER TEN
In the space of a hairbreadth, their swords met in a loud, deafening clash, barely dodging the blow to his ear. Ruben twisted his sword around and lifted his foot to kick the man in his belly.
In the blink of an eye, he’d swiped the man’s sword from him and spun around with both blades in hand. Every muscle sinew was on show for her from his calves up through his thighs, and then from his waist up through his shoulders. She watched them ripple and glisten with sweat under the bright sun.
The men shouted. “He’s done!”
Ruben pivoted and lobbied the sword back to the man and the two shook hands. For once, his lips flickered into something resembling a smile and the two spoke—and then it vanished.
He does have the capacity to nae be frownin’ all the time…but he doesnae. Nae for me anyway.
Pivoting on his heel, Ruben looked over her and his brows lowered. There was no hostility in his gaze but for some reason, Paige felt unwelcome.
Disheartened and saddened, she turned away to leave and had barely moved three paces when a hand grabbed her arm—effectively spinning her around. A heavy mass rammed into her back, and she crashed into the hard, packed ground. All the breath left her lungs and she winced at the mass holding her down.
Heavens. He is heavy!
When she peeled her eyes opened, she found Ruben hovering over her. Inches away from his face, she realized his eyes were the deepest blue they looked as black as the midnight sky. His gaze was smoldering, something she never imagined seeing coming from him.
His eyes dropped to her lips and nervously she pulled her bottom lip in. Unexpected heat sizzled up her skin, making gooseflesh wash over whole body.
“What—” she sucked in a breath. “What are ye doin’?”
Ruben’s eyes sharpened as he pushed himself off and stepped away. She watched as he strode five paces away and plucked the shaft of an arrow out of the wood overhang.
“Savin’ yer life,” he said.
His eyes narrowed at it, then he pivoted and from the look in his eyes, he was trying to discern where the arrow had come from. Before he could call out, a man, clad head to toe in chain mail and armed with a broadsword, ran over, his face white with fear.
“Dornach,” Ruben said, “Explain yerself.”
He dropped to one knee, “I apologize me laird and lady. One of the squires-in-trainin’ lost control of his bow. I will reprimand him severely for the act.”
“Ye will dismiss him and send him home,” Ruben said as helped Paige to her feet. “I cannae have such careless acts among me men.”
She clutched her elbow that felt scraped and smarted under her ripped sleeve. As much as her skin felt bruised, she was frightened for the boy. “Must ye dismiss the boy, Ruben?”
His eyes were hard, “Mistakes like that get men killed.”
“Aye, I realize,” Paige dropped her tone go pleasing. “But he is still a lad. Isnae that what trainin’ is for? To nae make those mistakes? Surely ye made some at times when ye were younger. Please reconsider dismissin’ the lad.”
Ruben’s jaw worked and for a moment, Paige thought she had done more harm than good until Ruben turned to the captain.
“Put the boy on stable duty for a month. In the day he is muckin’ out the stalls, at night he is practicin’ with the targets under yer supervision until he can shoot the center blindfolded. I daenae care if his arms get weary, he will return to the troop a better archer.”
“Aye, me laird,” Dornach bowed. “I will tell him right away.”
“And Dornach, daenae make me regret this.” Ruben said.
